From The Ground Up
by forgetyouinsiberia
Summary: Daniel's gone, Louis is a senior partner, and Harvey and Mike's careers have just jumped the fast-track. Marvey-centric.
1. The Release That Comes When You're In

**A/N: **I've been wanting to write a Suits fanfic for a while. Initially I was going to do something a lot darker, but with what's going on in my life at the moment, doing something light seems for fun with these characters.

That said, this will be post season 2A, with the theories I've been sitting on for the past few weeks. I hope it comes across the same way I see it in my head.

Also, given that this is literally the first Suits fic I've ever written, please go easy on a girl! :)

**Summary: **Daniel's gone, Louis is a senior partner, and Harvey and Mike's careers have just jumped the fast-track. Marvey-centric.

_From The Ground Up_

_Chapter 1_

_The Release That Comes When You're In Mid-Fall_

Mike gulped down a large mouthful of coffee as he stepped through the glass doors of the building. He hadn't spoken to Rachel since the previous week, and after she'd caught him with Tess, Tess had taken off and left him with the promise she'd call. She had yet to, though, and he wasn't exactly holding his breath. She was married, after all.

He stepped into the elevator and punched the button for the forty-ninth floor before leaning back against the wall. He pulled his phone from his pocket and brought the screen up and then turned off the audio book he was listening to before removing his earphones from his ears and pulling the jack out of the phone. He tucked the earphones into the back and then dropped his cell phone back into his pocket as the doors opened.

He stepped out of the elevator and made his way down the hall towards Harvey's office. He had only passed Jessica's office when his phone chirped in his pocket.

He reached into it and pulled his phone out before bringing up the text messages. The fact that it was from Harvey didn't surprise him. Harvey kept tabs on him like a mother hen half the time.

**My office. Five minutes. **

Mike's brow furrowed as he stared at the message for a few moments longer. When he looked up, his eyes came to rest on Rachel and Donna, chatting at the end of the hall. He dropped his phone back into his pocket again, message forgotten as he made his way down the hall. By the time he reached them though, Rachel had ducked back into her office.

Donna's hand pressed against his chest to stop him from going any further has he turned to walk in the room. He frowned at her, ready to launch into a dozen reasons as to why he wanted to apologize to Rachel, but she cut him to the quick.

"Now's not the time, Mike. She's mad, and she should be."

"Donna-"

"Hey kid, I get it. But unless you want her to slap you, I'd leave her be for the time-being."

Mike sighed and turned to look into Rachel's office. She was diligently paying attention to whatever case she was currently summarizing. "I didn't mean to do anything to hurt her, Donna."

Donna nodded, patting him on the shoulder. "I know, kid. Did you get Harvey's text?"

Mike nodded, turning to head down the hall with her. "Yeah. What's so important that we had to be here an hour earlier this morning?"

Donna shook her head. "I don't know. According to Harvey though, there are big changes coming to Pearson Hardman."

"For Louis' sake, I hope they aren't looking to thin the herd." Mike said lightly.

Donna chuckled. "You and me both, kid."

They reached her desk a few moments later, and she returned to it. Mike made his way back to the associates' offices and walked over to his cubicle. He dropped his bag into his chair and then made his way back to Harvey's office. When he arrived, Harvey and Jessica were chatting happily, though as soon as he walked up, Jessica's smile became more terse.

It was the one thing he hated about his job. Ever since she'd found out that he didn't actually have a degree, she seemed to have lost any sense of respect for him. That had been clear over the past few months, but it had been glaringly obvious when bonuses had come out and he didn't receive one. He hated it because he respected her still, as his boss, and as a mentor.

"Mike, come in," Harvey said as Jessica stepped away, shaking him from his reverie.

Mike followed Harvey into his office and was surprised to find that things were, once again, in boxes. "I thought we were staying on the forty-ninth-"

"We are," Harvey replied. "But we're still moving. Jessica's making some major changes." He settled into his chair and then looked up when Mike hadn't said anything in response. "Not **those **kinds of changes, Mike. You're still safe. Hell, after what you did to save her job, I don't think you're going anywhere. Whether she admits it or not, she's indebted to you."

The smallest bit of a smile started to pull at the corners of Mike's mouth. "So what does that mean."

"It means that we need to talk later, in private." Harvey tipped his head to the side, and glared just in the slightest at Donna. She winked and gave him the thumbs up before settling her phone back on the cradle and turning back to her work with a smirk on her face. He looked back up at Mike. "In the meantime, I need the deposition for the Montgomery case."

"But-"

"Deposition, Mike," Harvey insisted.

Mike huffed and then turned and walked out of the office, making his way back to his cubicle without another word.

The day passed in a blur. He kept his earphones in his ears to block out the usual noise of the hustle and bustle in the office, and by the time he'd finished the deposition, the sun had long since fallen below the horizon; not that that meant much, considering it was late October. Still, it was nearing 11 PM when he made his to Harvey's office.

Donna had already left for the night, and Mike could see with a quick glance down the hall that the rest of the floor seemed to be otherwise gone for the night.

He pushed the door open as he yawned and walked over to Harvey's desk. Harvey looked up from file he was currently reading and rubbed his eyes, clearly exhausted as well.

"So what is it that I had to wait until now to hear?" Mike asked as he dropped the file onto Harvey's desk.

Harvey flipped the file shut and leaned back in his chair. He watched as Mike stretched a bit, getting the blood flowing in his limbs after sitting for so long.

"As I said, Jessica's making some changes in the firm. They directly affect both you and I," Harvey said.

Mike nodded. "Right. So what does that mean?"

"It means that as soon as her office has been cleared out, we'll be moving." Harvey explained. "Porter's taking my office, and Jessica is moving into the office Daniel had constructed when he came back."

Mike raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's great!"

Harvey nodded. There was a smirk playing on his lips; he was obviously pleased. He pushed up from his chair and found that the action made him feel just the slightest more awake, forcing his blood to work a little harder to move through his body. He walked around the desk and leaned against the edge of it, tucking his hands into his pockets. "She's also naming a new managing partner."

Mike nodded. Harvey didn't need to explain to him that this could be bad; especially if the person she named to take Daniel's position found out that he didn't actually have a degree.

"She's calling an interim partner's meeting in a few days, and Pearson Hardman will become Pearson Specter."

Mike stared at Harvey for several long moments before the news of what he was saying actually sunk in. Harvey was going to be the next managing partner. Harvey was moving into Jessica's office because his name was going to be on the building.

"Harvey, that's amazing!" He said cheerfully when he'd managed to gather his words. "Congratulations!"

The smile on Harvey's face made it clear that he was happy about it. He accepted Mike's congratulatory handshake when it was offered a moment later, but they were both surprised when Mike yanked him forward and pressed their lips together. It was an awkward moment, and ended just moments later when Harvey stepped away.

Mike's eyes fell to the ground, nervous and unsure of what to say next. Was there anything he could say? He'd just jumped very quickly over a very big line.

"The reason I wanted you to stay late was to tell you that you're going to enroll in classes," Harvey told him a few seconds later. He spoke as if nothing more than a handshake had happened. Mike looked up at him nervously, but as he did, Harvey's gaze fell away.

"Is this on Jessica's request?" He asked.

Harvey shook his head, staring out the windows of his office. "This is on my insistence," Harvey replied. "You've got the means to go now. You've passed the bar. You're going to take classes and get your degree because I won't see you screwed out of your job over the lack of a piece of paper. Jessica may not be making a move right now, but I'm not going to let her continue to hold ammunition, either. Alright?"

Mike nodded. They both knew that Harvey's insistence upon this was more of a formality than anything else. Mike could do anything he wanted, because, as he'd told Harvey when the first met, once he read something, he knew it. The only reason he didn't already have a law degree was because of the stupid choices he'd made in the past that had derailed his college education.

"You moving to Manhattan?" Harvey asked a few moments later.

Mike nodded. "I already bought the apartment. Might as well make the best of it."

"Maybe I'll come see it sometime," Harvey said. He still hadn't looked up from the floor.

Mike bit his bottom lip for a long moment before running his hand over his eyes once more. "I'm gonna go, if that's all."

Harvey nodded. Mike turned and walked towards the doors. He yanked the glass door open as he reached it, and then didn't stop until he'd walked around the corner at the end of the hall.

_-  
I'll be your shelter, I'll be your storm; I'll make your shiver, I'll keep you warm  
__-_

He draped his jacket over the back of one of his chairs as he looked around the room. Most of his bonus had gone towards buying the new apartment he was currently in, but the rest of it had gone towards buying a few new pieces of furniture. Among them was a new kitchen table, an actual bedroom set, and new living room furniture.

Mike walked over to the fridge and grabbed a beer from the inside of the door. He was about to pop the cap off on the side of the counter when he thought better. Harvey would kill him if he knew that he'd done something in a place with such beautiful marble counters. Harvey…

He sighed as he twisted the cap off and tossed into the trash before tipping the bottle back and taking a long drink.

He honestly hadn't meant for the earlier action to happen. He always thought he'd been smart about burying how he felt, even if it was just under the surface. When he'd extended his hand to Harvey though, it was as if there had been something electric between them, tugging them together. He hadn't even really realized what he'd done until after they'd parted.

And now he couldn't stop thinking about how things were going to be when he got to work in the morning. Sure, Harvey had been talking about their careers moving forward, but it would be just Mike's luck that in a matter of a day or so, he'd get a phone call telling him that he had to be let go. There was no way to erase what he'd done earlier.

The knock at his door surprised him and his gut churned. There were only two people who knew the address, and he knew that regardless of who was standing outside the door, the next few minutes weren't going to make his night any better.

He walked over to the door and turned the knob, opening it as he took another gulp from his beer bottle. His jaw slackened in surprise as his eyes came to fall upon the brown eyes that he hadn't looked into since earlier in the evening. Before he could say anything though, Harvey pushed into the apartment.

"What was that about earlier?" He asked in a demanding tone.

"I don't know," Mike replied as he pushed his door shut. "It just happened."

"Things like that don't just **happen**," Harvey said as he turned around to look back at Mike. "Are you… I mean do you…Feel? Something?"

It was as if the situation seemed impossible to Harvey as they stood there in front of each other, and any possibility that Mike could've **ever** felt comfortable telling Harvey the truth was quickly stuffed down by the stomp on his chest he felt when Harvey asked him that.

"No." He replied quickly. When Harvey's gaze didn't waver, he shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't plan for tonight to happen."

"It can't happen again," Harvey said without hesitation.

"Fine," Mike replied without missing a beat. Harvey nodded, making it clear the conversation was over. He let his eyes wander around the room, and then turned in his spot, taking in the view of the apartment. Mike, however, was still stuck on the fact that Harvey had shown up on his doorstep at midnight to tell him that a kiss between them was to never happen again.

"Wait just a moment," he said when Harvey began to wander towards the doorway that led to his bedroom. "Why did you show up here at this time of night to tell me that, when it could've easily waited until tomorrow."

Harvey shook his head, turning to look back at Mike. "It couldn't have waited until tomorrow."

"Why not?" Mike settled his bottle of beer on the counter and walked towards Harvey, genuinely curious. He brushed his tongue over his lips as he came to stand in front of his superior. "Why did you have to come here tonight?"

Harvey stared him down with the gaze Mike knew too well. It was the same one he often used when he wanted a subject to be dropped. But, whether it was the alcohol sinking into him or something else, there was no way Mike was going let him win this time and take the upper hand.

Harvey huffed, shaking his head. "Because. The last thing I need is for you to show up at work tomorrow thinking that there's any chance that this could go anywhere. I'm a partner. You're my associate. That's all."

"Really?" Mike asked. "That's all?"

Harvey stared at him curtly, and Mike could see the frustration boiling just below the surface telling him to stop pushing.

"Not a week ago, you sat in my apartment and told me things you'd never told anyone else about your family. You seem to do that a lot," Mike said.

"Don't go there, Michael," Harvey said firmly. "This won't end well for you."

"Why not?" Mike asked. "I'm not the one making more out of a situation that it started as. What're you so afraid of, Harvey?"

Harvey's glare didn't wane as he stared Mike down. His expression was grim and he was obviously getting more pissed by the second, but Mike wasn't going to back down.

The next few seconds were a blur, and didn't even begin to phase Mike of what had happened until he realized he was pinned against the wall in his bedroom. Harvey had the collar of Mike's shirt tightly grasped in one hand, and his other hand pulled back, curled into a fist. The rage had finally bubbled over, and Mike was all but sure that if he said another word, he was going to have the imprint of Harvey's fist on his face.

He opened his mouth just in the slightest, but closed his mouth a moment later. He _really _didn't want to get hurt. A loud sound emitted from beside his head, and he cringed. He peeked one eye open nervously, and then glanced over and realized that Harvey's fist was no longer hovering in front of him. Instead, his hand was flat against the wall.

"God damn it, Mike." Harvey's voice was gruff, but it barely had time to register before Harvey's mouth was upon his. He quickly granted access to Harvey when his tongue brushed over Mike's bottom lip. Mike pressed his body up against Harvey's as Harvey tugged on his tie, pulling it loose until it was open enough to pull over his head. Harvey's hands then moved down to Mike's shirt and began tugging it open, sending buttons flying everywhere as he did so.

Mike broke their lips apart a few seconds later, breathless. "This was one of my best shirts-"

"It's _cheap_," Harvey growled before pressing his lips to Mike's once more. The shirt billowed open a few seconds later, and Harvey's hands groped at his sides, squeezing Mike's hips until his nails were digging into Mike's back.

Mike broke his lips away again a few moments later, and Harvey's lips moved to his neck. His rough manner didn't change in the slightest however, and with adequate air supply reinitiated, Mike quickly realized what was happening. Harvey was trying to cut him off at the pass with meaningless sex.

"Stop," he said insistently as he pushed Harvey away from him. The look on Harvey's face told him that he wasn't pleased that Mike had pushed him away. He was still pissed.

"I thought this was what you wanted," Harvey said gruffly.

Mike shook his head, shrugging off his shirt. He walked across the hardwood floor over to his dresser and pulled out a fresh shirt. He turned to look back at Harvey as he shook it out and shoved his arms inside of it. "No. I mean, yeah, I want **you**, but not in some quickie where you show up on my doorstep well after midnight and leave before I'm awake the next morning because you can't handle what's in front of you."

He crossed the room and then came to stand in front of Harvey once more. "This isn't a game to me, Harvey. I'm not going to yank your chain, but I'm not going to let you yank mine either."

"You're stupid to think this will ever go anywhere," Harvey said angrily. "You're a first year associate, Mike. That's not worth anything to me."

"Yeah, yeah," Mike argued back. "Life is this, you like **this**." His hand made the movements that Harvey made whenever he made the comment. "Yet you haven't been in a relationship the entire time I've known you, and-"

"And nothing!" Harvey yelled. "**You** are standing in front of me telling me you want to crawl into bed with me and make something out of it all, and I've watched you bounce around between three different women in the past year! How the hell is that supposed to shape up into me believing you want me?!"

Mike bit the inside of his cheek, shaking his head at Harvey. "You know, I may want to fuck you, but I don't want to **fuck **you."

Harvey said nothing. Mike huffed and shook his head, angry at the vulnerability welling up inside of him.

"I've got no one left, Harvey. You're the one who's always on me to stop thinking I've only got myself to trust, and now you're threatening to slam the door in my face."

Harvey shook his head. "I never said-"

"You don't have to, Harvey! We both know that tonight changes things, and I'm not going to live in some dream land where I'm going to walk into work tomorrow and expect everything to be the same way it was when I walked into the building this morning. Too much has changed."

"So what- What does that mean?" Harvey was becoming confused and frustrated at the same time, which was driving a rage inside of him that he hadn't felt since he'd found out about his mother cheating on his father.

"It means that tomorrow morning I'm resigning from Pearson Hardman. Or Pearson Specter; whatever the hell it is. I'm sure Jessica will be all too happy to take it."

Harvey huffed and his jaw tightened with anger. "Don't do it, Mike. We didn't come this far so that you can throw it all away."

"We haven't **gone **anywhere, Harvey! Jessica caught us-"

"Because of **your **so-called friend, who, need I remind you, I **told **you to cut loose!"

Mike's hands curled into fists. He was just as pissed as Harvey, and they were talking themselves in circles. "It doesn't matter, Harvey. The past, the present…It doesn't change that things here **have **changed. And I can't sit around and pretend that things didn't happen like they did."

Harvey looked around the room, clearly trying to deflect everything Mike was telling him in an attempt to bury how it actually felt to hear it and know that Mike was serious. "You can't do that. You'd lose this place."

Mike nodded. "Yeah, and some jackass once told me that there are more options out there than selling drugs. And with the money I'd make from selling this and returning all the new furniture,…Well, it won't last forever, but it'll definitely do enough to get me on my feet for a month or so. And I haven't given up my apartment yet."

Harvey clenched his jaw so tightly that it actually began to hurt. His rage was clear, and Mike flinched when Harvey slapped an open fist on the wall and growled angrily. "I hate you for doing this."

Mike nodded and then lifted a hand and pointed to the doorway. "There's the door. Don't let it hit you on the way out."

Regardless of the rage on Harvey's face, it was clear that he knew he wasn't getting anywhere. He shook his head and walked out of the room, and a few moments later Mike heard his door open and close.

He sighed, walking across the room and back into the kitchen. He picked up his beer off the counter and tipped it back, taking a long drink as he stared at the door. He'd thought about resigning at least once every day in the past year that he'd worked at Pearson Hardman, but a part of him always hoped he words would never actually be spoken.

He turned and walked back into the bedroom, settling his beer on the nightstand before he walked around the bed and looked out the window. Rachel was right. The view was spectacular.

His head whipped around at the sound of a door clicking. He tucked his hands in his pockets as he turned to walk back around his bed, but he'd only taken several steps towards the end of his bed by the time Harvey was walking back into his room, shaking his finger at him like a two year old.

"No. I didn't come **this **far, put all the things on the line that I did for you – **EXPOSE **myself to you, so that it could all come apart like this."

Mike's jaw slackened in the slightest unsure of what Harvey expected hi to say in response, but there was nothing to be said in the end as the older man came to stand toe-to-toe with Mike. Harvey's hands gripped the back of Mike's head a second later, and his tongue was inside Mike's mouth. Yet again, Mike was caught by surprise. Had Harvey not still had his hands on Mike, he would've fallen over from the sheer force of Harvey's body against his.

This time, their kiss ended when Harvey pulled away. Mike gasped heavy breaths as he looked back at Harvey.

"What was that for?" He murmured.

"I'm not letting you walk out on all of this because you're stubborn." Harvey replied.

Mike's brow furrowed, confused. "What?"

Harvey grabbed his chin and stared Mike clear in the eyes. "I'm not losing you."

Mike stared at him for several long moments before a tentative smile started to pull at the corners of his mouth. Harvey smiled back at him at him.

"So what does this mean?" Mike asked. "I know you well enough to know that you don't agree to anything that you don't first set a list of rules on."

Harvey nodded. "You're right. Which is why this needs to stay quiet between you and me right now. If Jessica finds out about this, things will hit the roof, and that's the last thing we need right now."

Mike moved to take a step back, and Harvey gripped the back of his neck, stopping him.

"This isn't me being a dick. Pearson Hardman is going through major changes right now, and I know we just saved our asses, but one wrong move, and I wouldn't put it past Jessica to find a way to push you out. I'm **not **going to let that happen."

"I saved her job!" Mike growled.

Harvey nodded. "I know. But at the end of the day, Jessica's watching her back and her name – not ours. It's why I told you you're going back to school. I'm not going to let you get screwed out of this. Alright?"

Mike's brow was furrowed in frustration, but he nodded. "What about Donna?"

Harvey shook his head. "I don't know how long we'll be able to keep it from her, but telling her isn't at the top of my priority list. It'd just be too messy right now. If she figures it out on her own, then we'll cross that bridge."

"So what does that mean?" Mike asked.

Harvey shook his head. "I don't know, Mike. I've never done this before. We play it by ear, but if this goes to shit, we make a clean break. I won't lose my associate because we can't make things work. Alright?"

Mike's jaw tightened at the seriousness of what Harvey was saying, but he nodded.

Harvey squeezed the back of his neck once more and then released it. He looked over at the alarm clock next to the bed. It was almost 1 AM.

"I'm going home. Seven AM, your ass better be in my office."

Harvey turned and walked out of the room, leaving Mike standing there. Mike shook his head, laughing at Harvey's determination to always be so professional.

He rubbed a hand through his hair and then walked around the bed and picked up his beer. He quickly finished it off before walking out of the room, into the kitchen to dispose of the bottle before he returned to his bedroom and kicked off his socks. He removed his pants as well and tossed them over the chair in front of the desk he'd bought before walking over to the bed and pulling the blankets back. He hit the light switch on the wall, and then the only light left illuminating the room was from the window, which – considering the time – was quite a bit.

Harvey was right. There were a lot of major changes coming at them. And they were coming fast. Mike knew well enough that shit was going to hit the fan when Louis found out about Harvey's new promotion. There was no way that he would take it gracefully, especially after what had happened with his senior partner promotion.

And then there was the matter of Rachel and Tess. A chuckled erupted through Mike's chest at the fact that he never could just do things simply. He always seemed to have to find the hard way around things. But as much as he'd wanted Tess when he'd called her, and as much as he had wanted Rachel for the past year, he'd wanted Harvey that much more. He'd never admit it to their faces, but they'd always be a second choice to his preference of Harvey. He just hoped Harvey felt the same way.


	2. We Are One Heartbeat In The Darkness

**A/N:** I apologize for the ridiculously long wait for this chapter, but I hope the fact that it's over 7,000 words helps :).

Also, I'm a girl, so don't hold it against me if I'm wrong about how suits are tailored…

_Chapter 2_

_We Are One Heartbeat In The Darkness_

The sunlight streamed through the window harshly as Mike sat in his bed. Even though autumn was already in full force, the sun seemed determined to make its presence known beyond all the clouds.

He took a long sip from the coffee he'd made himself upon waking up, and then his eyes flitted to the alarm clock for the fifth time in the past five minutes. Not even thirty seconds had passed. He heaved a sigh and moved off his bed, settling the coffee cup on the table. Still dressed in his sleep clothes, he made his way through his apartment and grabbed his keys off the counter before walking out of the apartment and locking it.

He made his way down the hall to the elevator and punched the down arrow before bouncing on his heels until the doors opened. He stepped inside the empty box a moment later and punched the button to the floor below him. Yet again he bounced anxiously as he waited for the elevator to move.

It couldn't have taken more than thirty seconds for the elevator to have deposited him on the second floor, but the nervous energy buzzing through him made every second feel like it was taking hours. Sick of his own nervous energy, he made his way down to the gym that was in the building, and let himself in before walking over to one of the treadmills. He dropped his keys into the slot that was used for holding bottles of water before he attached the emergency stop clip to his shirt and punched a few buttons on the console. A few moments later, the belt began to move under him, and he quickly picked his pace up to an easy jog.

Within minutes, he began to feel the nervous energy dissipate, and his thoughts processed more clearly. He knew that regardless of what he or Harvey tried to say or not say, the day was going to feel awkward until they figured out a way to communicate and function without making it obvious to the entire world that they were now apparently dating. Still, there was a part of him that worried that he'd arrive at the firm only to be told that Harvey had changed his mind.

When he was thoroughly coated in sweat and panting, Mike slowed his pace down enough to catch his breath and then turned the machine off before grabbing his keys and making his way back up to his apartment. He didn't feel frustrated very much anymore, which made him feel better as he walked back to his apartment.

When he reached it, he walked into his room and picked up his phone from the nightstand. He brought up the home screen to check for messages (because there was still the possibility that he was dreaming and Harvey was still going to break his heart before things even started), only to be surprised when there was actually a notification saying he'd missed a call. He tapped on it and a moment later it showed that Harvey had called him while he'd been running.

A chill ran down his spine as his fear seemed to overtake him that Harvey was definitely ending things. Mike chewed his lip for a moment before he tapped on the voicemail option and lifted his phone to his ear.

He went through the process of gaining access to his inbox before the message finally began to play.

"_Hey, I need you hear at six thirty," _Harvey's voice came curtly over the line. _"Jessica wants to talk contracts." _

Mike sighed and looked over at the clock. It was just going on six AM. He groaned and quickly ended the call before dropping his phone on his bed and dashing into the shower. He turned the water on and prayed that it wouldn't scald him as it began flooding down from the showerhead before he removed his clothes and stepped inside. Quite the opposite, the water was ice cold as he stepped into the stream. He couldn't contain the yelp that escaped him as the water his skin. He reached out and turned the knob until the water was at a more manageable temperature, and then quickly washed up before turning off the water just as quickly as he'd turned it on.

Once he had wrapped a towel around his torso, he walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. He toweled off as quickly as he could before pulling on a pair of boxers. He rushed over to the closet and pulled out the first garment bag he could reach. He had yet to get all of his suits pulled out of the bags.

He tossed it over on the bed and then pulled the zipper down before tugging the pants off and jumping into them. He buttoned and zipped them before walking over to one of the boxes sitting on the floor and grabbed one of the still-unopened dress shirt. It was a soft baby blue to compliment the dark blue suit he'd pulled out of the closet.

He ripped the box open and then pulled the shirt on before walking back over to the bed. He unbuttoned the jacket. He groaned as a vest revealed under it. It was a proper suit that Harvey would love, but Mike hated dressing like he lined his pockets with silk.

He rolled his eyes, but pulled the vest out anyway and unbuttoned it before slipping it on. He grabbed the jacket and tugged it on as well before walking over to his dresser and opened the only drawer that had clothes in it. He pulled out a blue tie and wrapped it around his neck before quickly tying it and adjusting it up to his throat before he buttoned up the vest and then the jacket, making sure they were properly settled. The last thing he needed was for Harvey to have a fit that he had dressed lazily.

He grabbed his shoes from where he'd kicked them off by his bed the night before and quickly slipped them on before grabbing his phone from the nightstand. He tucked it into his pocket and then walked out of the room. He grabbed his messenger bag from the floor and then walked over to the kitchen. He snatched his keys from the counter and then dashed out of the apartment, stopping only to lock the doors.

Once they were, he all but ran down to the elevator. He punched the button but after only seven seconds, decided it was taking too long. He walked the three feet over to the stairwell and shoved the door open before stomping quickly down the three flights of stairs to the main floor. When he had reached the ground level, he dashed out into the lobby and then slowed his sprinting to the fastest that he could go without actually running, if only to not have people looking at him like he was nuts.

He exited the building a few minutes later, and quickly hailed down a cab.

"Pearson Hardman," he said breathlessly. He paused for a moment, and then couldn't help but grin as he spoke once more. "I'll pay double if you can get me there in ten minutes or less."

Harvey would yell at him if he knew that Mike had offered money for a quicker transport to the firm, but Harvey was the one who had called him in so early. As it was, the driver managed to deliver him to the firm within nine minutes. Mike stuck to his promise, and doubled the pay for the ride before diving out of the cab. Someone else was quick to get inside, and the cab was dashing down the block once more as he walked into the building.

He waved his security tag as usual at the security guard before passing through to the elevators and making his way up to the forty-ninth floor. Upon reaching it, he walked straight to Jessica's office. Before he could knock, he was waved into the room by the woman, only to hear Harvey arguing with her. His voice suddenly cut off as Mike entered the room.

"What's going on here?" Mike asked. When neither of them replied, he quickly jumped to the worst conclusion. "Wait, am I being fired?"

"No," Harvey said firmly as he leaned back against Jessica's desk. He looked up at the older woman. "Are you going to tell him, or shall I?"

"Harvey, I'm trying to tell you-"

"Jessica wants us to recruit Travis Tanner," Harvey said, cutting her off before she could continue.

Mike stared at him for several long moments, completely baffled. His gaze finally drifted to Jessica, but before he could speak, she spoke.

"I've been **trying **to tell Harvey that this would be an asset for us, not a hindrance," she said. "If Travis Tanner came into Pearson Hardman as a partner, he would no longer be a threat to us. And after this past year, I won't deal with that man putting my best senior partner at risk once more."

"How's that going to look to outsiders?" Mike asked. "Won't it just seem like you bought off his decision to try and get Harvey disbarred?"

"Anyone who knows Travis Tanner knows that no amount of money is going to buy off his hatred of me," Harvey said.

"Either way," Jessica continued. "We're much better off having him here as an asset than we are having him out there working for another firm, coming in to screw with us every time he wants to fuck with Harvey. Bring Travis Tanner into this firm, and half our problems go away. As it is, there would be no bigger slap in the face to Daniel than if we actually went public with what he just pulled."

"I still don't like it," Harvey announced, staring up at his boss.

"You don't **have **to like it," Jessica told him. "Just accept what is, and make it happen."

_.,.  
__I wanna run, smash into you  
__.,._

"I want you to talk to Travis," Harvey said as he sunk down into the chair behind his desk.

Mike raised his eyebrows at the older man. "Are you serious? I mean you've got to be joking."

Harvey nodded. "Except for the part where I'm not."

"Harvey, there's no way he's going to go for it if I go to him. There's nothing for him to gain by me offering him a senior partnership. You and I both know that." Mike insisted.

"Maybe not, but if you go to him first, it'll make him think I'm too proud to ask, which is only going to make him want to take the job that much more." Harvey said.

Mike rolled his eyes. "That's the most shallow lie I've ever heard come out of your mouth. C'mon Harvey, you know the only way that Travis Tanner is **ever **going to take a job at Pearson Hardman is if you go to him. Especially when he finds out that Jessica is putting your name on the door."

Harvey looked up at the doorway and then pushed up from his seat, tucking his hands into his pockets and walking over to Mike. His eyes fell, drifting over Mike's outfit before finally looking back up in Mike's eyes. There was a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "If you do this for me, I'll make it worth your while."

Mike stared at him, contemplating what Harvey could possibly mean by that. Considering the night before, it seemed like he'd want to do something that cut right to the quick. "You can't buy me off," he said. His voice didn't come across as strong as he would've liked.

Harvey's head tilted slightly, staring at him for a few moments. His brow furrowed just slightly and then he leaned forward. "You do this for me, and I'll have dinner catered from the lighthouse for 9 PM tonight. At my penthouse."

Mike gulped. He wasn't sure if it was Harvey playing dirty or if he actually meant it, and he didn't like not knowing. As Harvey leaned back, he stared Mike straight in the eyes, only further making a knot turn in his stomach. All he could see was pure honesty in the honey-colored eyes staring back at him.

"If he doesn't agree to it-"

Harvey shook his head at Mike. "If he doesn't agree to it, my penthouse is still having dinner catered."

Mike was too nervous to ask if he was still going to be invited. A moment later, Harvey stepped back from him, clearing his throat. He walked back over to his desk and sat down, leaving Mike confused. A moment later, Donna's voice came over the intercom.

"Connor Montgomery is on his way in. He's twenty minutes out."

Harvey pushed down on the intercom button on his phone. "Thanks, Donna."

"Do you need me here for the meeting?" Mike asked. He was sure his voice was probably little too hopeful.

"Nope," Harvey replied smoothly.

Mike huffed softly. He turned on his heel a few moments later and walked out of the room, making his way back to the elevator. It frustrated him to no end that Harvey was putting him up to this, but the part of him that wanted to be in that penthouse at 9 PM was outweighed his pride.

Upon reaching the lobby, he walked out of the building and headed out onto the sidewalk. He had just raised a hand to hail a cab when a black town car pulled up in front of him. His brow furrowed slightly, and a moment later, a head of black-grey hair emerged from above the car hood. The man turned and Mike's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Ray-"

"Harvey says you need to get to a meeting for him?" Ray asked.

Mike gulped. He was entirely confused by the fact that Harvey was making all these moves. It hadn't even been twelve hours since Harvey had stood in front of him, trying to tear his clothes off and cut him off at the quick. All of the mixed messages were enough to make his head spin, but he knew thinking too much about it would only give him a migraine.

He nodded. "Smith and Duvaine."

Ray circled the car and opened Mike's door. Mike stared at the door a moment more than he needed to, still surprised at the gesture. When it sunk in that Ray was waiting for him, he quickly got into the car and sunk back against the leather seats, settling his bag beside him. Ray closed the door for him and then circled the car and returned to the drivers seat. A few moments later, he pulled away from the curb, and into traffic.

The drive was quiet, only faintly filled in by the sounds of traffic outside the car and the low buzzing of the stereo system. Even if Ray had tried to spark up conversation, Mike wasn't sure he'd have been able to reciprocate. There was simply too much on his mind, from Travis to Harvey, and everything in between. He knew eventually he was going to have to talk to Tess and Rachel as well, which was only going to make it all worse.

Before he was aware of it, Ray was looking back at him, asking him why he was still in the car. Mike shook from his reverie and looked outside the car, spotting the law firm. He quickly thanked Ray for driving him and then got out of the car and walked up to the law firm. He entered the building and passed through security before heading up to the 44th floor, where Travis' office was.

He walked through the building to the office and paused for the briefest moment outside, watching Travis. He was tossing a baseball back and forth between his hands, laughing as he talked. There was a lot about him that was similar to Harvey in ways that Mike had yet to realize, and even if he **wasn't **Harvey, he was damn close in some ways.

He inhaled a deep breath and pulled the door open, stepping into the office. Travis stared at him for a moment, as if he had to think before he could register who was standing in front of him. After a long moment, he leaned down over his desk over his phone.

"Let me call you back with those numbers, Zak."

He ended the call a moment later and looked back at Mike. "Why's the big dog sending the puppy to do his dirty work? Harvey too proud to come start a fight on his own?"

"Harvey's closing a case right now," Mike bluffed easily.

"So what, are you here to deliver papers on his behalf? He planning on suing me for something?" Travis questioned.

"Nope," Mike replied. A beat passed, but in that moment it was enough time for him to figure out the stride he needed to take to get this conversation to go where he needed it to. "Jessica Pearson wants him to bring you into Pearson Hardman."

Travis laughed. "There's no way Harvey Specter would do that. He's got too much pride."

"You know, that's what I thought," Mike said. "But he saw it for the good it could actually do, keeping you out of the way for once." He paused on purpose, for effect. "At least initially."

Travis's brow furrowed, and inside Mike couldn't help but smile. He had him curious.

"I told Harvey that'd be the biggest mistake of his career," Mike said. "I might just be an associate, but why would he want to work alongside the likes of you. He agreed. He really doesn't give a damn if you take the job or not, because he really doesn't want you there."

Mike's phone buzzed in his pocket just as the last few words left his mouth. He retrieved it, and a small smirk appeared on his face at the sight of Harvey's name on the screen. He tapped the button to accept the call, lifting it to his ear.

"Harvey," he said almost gleefully.

"_We have court in forty minutes. Get back here now." _Harvey replied.

Mike nodded towards Travis before turning and walking out of the office, making it clear that the conversation was over. He made his way back to the elevators, phone still pressed to his ear.

When he was sure that Travis hadn't followed him and was out of earshot, he spoke again.

"Do we actually have court-"

"_**Yes**__, Mike. Now get back here." _

Mike sighed, ending the call a moment later and returning his phone to his pocket as he stepped into the elevator. He punched the button for the lobby, leaning back against the back wall of the elevator. He sincerely hoped that playing reverse psychology with Travis Tanner would be enough to bring him into the firm. After all, they'd played him before by making him think that Harvey was capable of doing the same things that he was, even if he wasn't. Either way, Mike only hoped that if Travis **did** fall for it, and came into Pearson Hardman, that it would do more good for the firm than it would bad.

_.,.  
__I don't know how much more love this heart can lose  
__And I'm dying, dying from these exit wounds  
__.,._

Mike yawned as he stared down at the file folder in front of him. The Montgomery case was coming to a close, and it appeared that things were going to come down on their side. The paperwork that they were set to do in the next two days would be more of a formality than anything else.

The door opened across the room and Mike looked up, glancing over at Harvey, who looked up as well.

"You told Tanner we didn't want him here?" Jessica asked as she looked back and forth between the men.

Harvey looked over at Mike with an expression that appeared to be caught between a smile and a glare – a mixture of pride if it had worked, and anger if it had failed.

"What about it?" Harvey asked, looking back up at Jessica. She seemed to stare at him for a few moments before she turned and looked over at Mike.

"That was a gutsy move, but it worked." Jessica said. If Mike wasn't mistaken, there almost seemed to be a prideful sense in her voice. "He's signing contracts in the morning. Good job."

Jessica glanced back at Harvey and gave a curt nod before she walked away, leaving the two men to their work once more. Mike yawned once more and looked down at his watch. It was nearly nine thirty.

Harvey closed his laptop on his desk and pushed back from his seat. "Let's call it a night."

Mike looked up at him with slight surprise. After a moment, he realized what was going on. "You were waiting just to find out if Tanner was going to take the job?"

Harvey said nothing in response as they both packed up, but the answer was silent in the air.

Once they had packed up, they headed down the hall to the elevators, and Harvey punched the down button.

"So if Travis hadn't agreed to come into the firm-"

Harvey looked back at Mike, shaking his head at him. "That doesn't change this."

That same nervous feeling he'd had in his stomach that morning was there once more, and Mike wasn't sure whether he should believe in Harvey or proceed with caution. It had only been one day earlier when….

"I can see the wheels turning in your head, and it'd be better if you just stop them for now," Harvey said softly. He was standing dangerously close to Mike, in a way that male colleagues didn't.

Mike stared at him for a moment. "Are you serious? I mean about this?"

Harvey tilted his head at Mike. "I thought I made that clear last night."

"You also said that nothing would happen here that could lead Jessica to believe there's anything going on," Mike murmured. "And this is the second time today you've been this close to me."

"Jessica isn't exactly looking right now," Harvey told him assuredly.

The elevator dinged a moment later, and Harvey leaned into Mike just a bit more, bumping his shoulder against his associate's. "Come on. Leave all the over-thought to tomorrow. Let's go eat."

The part of Mike that over thought everything desperately wanted to argue Harvey on the subject, but the part of him that was starving and exhausted was too great to find the will to keep fighting his point, so he followed Harvey into the elevator. They were quiet as they rode down to the lobby, and then walked out of the building.

Just as he had been so many times before, Ray was waiting for them when the stepped out onto the sidewalk. He opened the door, and Harvey gestured for Mike to get in before he did.

Once they were settled in the car, they both pulled their safety belts on, and Ray returned to the drivers seat. In the silence of the car ride, Mike began to drift off in his seat, letting his head fall back against head rest behind him. His head suddenly lifted back up however, when he felt familiar, strong fingers curl around his own. He looked down at his fingers, intertwined with Harvey's, and then looked back up at the older man.

"What are you doing?" He questioned softly. "Ray-"

"Works for me," Harvey reminded him. "This car is an inner sanctum, and what happens inside it is privileged."

Mike stared at him for a long moment before finally letting his head rest back against the head rest behind him. He was beginning to become aware of the fact that, even though he had been the one to pursue Harvey, he was also the one worrying about every new move.

Harvey was right. He **did** need to stop letting the wheels turn in his head. At least for a little while.

He must've dozed off, because the next thing he knew, a cold breeze was blowing through the building, waking him up. He groaned softly, reaching down to pull his seatbelt off. Once it was off his body, he stepped out of the cab, spotting his bag in Harvey's hand. He rubbed a hand over his eyes.

"Thanks, Ray," Harvey said from beside him. "I've got a meeting at 8 AM."

"I'll be here by seven-thirty then," Ray replied. "See you tomorrow, Harvey."

Ray returned to the car and pulled away from the building a few moments later. Harvey looked back at Mike and tilted his head towards the doors.

"Come on," he said. "Fresh lobster upstairs."

Mike inhaled a deep breath. The cold autumn air in his lungs was enough to wake him a bit more fully. He followed Harvey into the building and across the lobby. They rode up to the penthouse and Harvey led Mike into the penthouse. He walked over to the couch and settled Mike's bag and his briefcase on it before removing his jacket and heading over to the kitchen with Mike following in suit. Resting on the breakfast bar was a large tray with covers resting on top of them. Both men crossed into the room, and Mike pulled out one of the chairs in front of the bar while Harvey walked around it and opened one of his cabinets.

"Got a particular craving tonight?"

Mike rubbed his fingers over his eyes again as he rested his elbows against the counter.

"Bourbon," he muttered. "It'll burn enough to wake me up."

Harvey chuckled. "I don't think I have bourbon. I do have a 68 cabernet, though."

Mike lifted his head up and looked at Harvey. "What in the world are you doing with something like that?"

Harvey smirked, grabbing one of the bottles out of the cabinet in front of him. He closed the cabinet door and locked it before opening another and pulling out two glasses. He walked back over to the counter and settled the glasses down, removing the cork from the bottle. He poured the wine into the two glasses and then handed one to Mike.

"It was given to me by a client after I kept him from losing half his fortune." Harvey explained. "He owns a winery, and had a bad divorce."

Mike took the glass Harvey offered him and took a sip of it. He exhaled a soft sigh as he swallowed the liquid. "Wow."

Harvey turned his attention to the food on the counter in front of him. He removed the warming cover from over the plates, quickly revealing two plates with lobster topping them, along with vegetables.

Mike gaped at the plates. "Harvey, that is-"

"A rare occasion," he said, looking back up at the younger man. "Don't sit back and hope for this to happen regularly. We still work sixteen hour days."

Mike groaned at the mention of it.

Harvey chuckled, picking up one of the plates. He placed it up on the bar in front of Mike and then removed his own from the tray it was on. He pushed the tray aside and then put the plate back down. He picked up one of the trays of silverware and handed a set to Mike before settling using his fork and knife to pull apart a claw.

"This is ridiculously good," Mike commented between chews of lobster.

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Harvey scolded lightly. "It's not polite."

Mike scowled at him, but smiled when Harvey turned his attention back to his food. He swallowed down the gulp of chewed food and then picked up his glass of wine. He looked down at the glass a moment later as he swallowed a sip. "I feel like there should be a toast here."

Harvey chuckled, looking over at his wine glass. He picked it up a moment later and stared at it for a moment before looking up at Mike. "To what?"

Mike raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean you're actually agreeing to something I suggested for once?"

"It's not something in poor taste for once," Harvey replied with a smirk.

Mike shook his head at the older man, but smiled anyway. "How about, to new beginnings?"

Harvey rolled his eyes. "That's so cliché. But it works."

The two clinked glasses and then sipped from them before returning them to the countertop and continuing with their meals.

As he was finishing up, Mike pushed his plate aside and brushed his fingers against the sides of his mouth, wiping away any leftover food. "Aren't you or Jessica at all worried about Smith and Duvaine fighting you on Tanner?"

Harvey shook his head, wiping the corners of his mouth with a napkin. He gulped down the last of his lobster and then dropped the napkin over the plate. "After what happened with Daniel, he's barely got a foot to stand on. It's not exactly public knowledge, but they'll do anything to get him out of there. Their firm is on shaky ground as it is."

Mike's brow furrowed "Why?"

"Because they've taken on people who get them sued, and they don't have enough equity to float. I knew John Duvaine when I was in the DA's office. He was good, but he had a bad habit of jumping in without testing the water."

"You think they'll go under?" Mike asked.

Harvey shrugged. "I think if they survive, they're going to probably need someone with deep pockets to step in."

Mike inhaled a deep breath and nodded. He knew that Pearson-soon-to-be-Specter was struggling with some of its own assets, though there wasn't much that Harvey had let on about it lately. Mike wasn't sure he ever would. He knew how proud Harvey could be, and given what he was about to take on, it was likely that Harvey would be even more closed-up about it all.

"What'd I say about your wheels?"

Mike shrugged. "Sorry. What now?"

Harvey looked down at his watch. He looked back up at Mike. "How tired are you? I've got the new Tyler Perry movie queued on Netflix."

Mike chuckled softly. "You don't spend enough time with crime at work?"

Harvey shrugged. "I've read all the books. I'm curious."

Mike simply shook his head, moving off the chair he was seated in.

"That's only if you want to," Harvey told him as he grabbed their plates and placed them back on the tray on the counter, covering them to be taken care of later. "If you're too tired from today-"

Mike shook his head. "I'm fine."

"Then follow me," Harvey announced, grabbing the wine glasses and the cabernet from the counter. He led Mike down one of the halls, and Mike quickly realized that they weren't headed for the sitting room, but instead to his bedroom. Upon entering it, Mike gaped, if only just a little. The floor-to-ceiling windows gave a perfect view of Manhattan, and he could only imagine what a night out on the cherry-wood balcony would feel like.

Harvey didn't wait for him, walking over to his TV and turning it on. He knelt down and turned on the Wii resting beside it as well before grabbing one of the remotes as well as the TV remote. He stood back up as the system started up, and then opened the program. As he turned around to ask Mike if he was sure about the movie, a smile crossed his face. The look of awe on Mike's face never ceased from stirring some long-lost feeling inside Harvey. A feeling he still wasn't sure he was okay with. He'd been screwed far too many times, but their was some part of him – he didn't yet know how large that part was – that needed to know if this could really work. And he'd never admit it, but the smallest part of him, somewhere down in the very tips of his toes where no one would think to consider, wanted it to. That part of him wanted it to go all the way.

Harvey shook his head at himself, clearing his thoughts. "Are you sure about the movie? We can watch something else."

Mike nodded, looking back at Harvey. "If it's got you fascinated, I'll give it a chance."

Harvey nodded, and then walked over to his closet. He walked inside and pulled the door closed until it was only slightly ajar. From where Mike stood in the bedroom, he could see the older man as he removed his shirt, revealing his well-toned back and shoulders. Mike couldn't help but feel slightly inadequate. It wasn't to say that he didn't exercise, but he certainly wasn't as ripped as Harvey appeared to be.

When Harvey removed his pants, Mike's eyes widened, and he forced himself to look away. This was day one of something that could last a long time, if things went right. He didn't want to start that out by hooking up on the very first day. He knew the disastrous effects that could come with that.

Harvey returned to the room a few moments later, dressed in a white t-shirt and dark blue sweat pants. He picked up the remotes off the end of his bed and then settled on it before looking up at Mike. "Are you gonna sit?"

Mike stared at him with a befuddled look, which made Harvey chuckle.

"I'm not going to bite you," Harvey said. When Mike didn't move, Harvey sighed. "Look, if you're not sure about all of this-"

"I just don't want things to go too far, too fast." Mike interjected.

Harvey nodded. "Well all we're doing now is watching a movie. If you want to leave when it's over, I'll call Ray. Otherwise you're welcome to stay in the guest room."

Mike stared at him for a moment longer, skeptical. Finally, he moved from his spot and walked over to the bed, settling onto it the same way as Harvey was – leaning up against the headboard – but he was as close to the side as he could get without actually sitting on the floor. Harvey stared at him for a few seconds with a feeling somewhere between amusement and mild irritation before turning back to the TV. He clicked through the options on the screen before pulling up the movie. It began loading shortly thereafter, and started playing within a matter of seconds.

They watched quietly as the movie started, neither making much noise. After twenty minutes or so though, Harvey realized that Mike had settled in more, sitting more comfortably and not sitting so closely to the edge. Harvey shifted himself, slouching down on the bed and readjusting his pillows somewhat.

As the first hour of the movie began to fade into the second, he moved to shift down even more so, only to find that the place he reached to place his hand was covered by Mike's thigh. Mike exhaled heavily from the pressure, but made no complaint otherwise. Harvey moved his hand onto the bed as he shifted a bit more, trying to find a comfortable angle. He looked back at the TV when he had, but a suspicious feeling made him feel like Mike was looking at him. He looked back up at his associate and saw Mike staring at him as if he was contemplating something. Harvey could hear the climax of the movie quickly approaching, but he kept his attention on Mike.

When more than a minute had passed, and Mike had made no move to get away from Harvey or even to look away, Harvey reached a tentative hand up and fisted a handful of Mike's vest and dress shirt before pulling the younger man down to him until he hovered only a few inches over Harvey. Harvey brushed his tongue over his own lips slightly, parting them as he did. The look on Mike's face as his eyes darted to look at Harvey's mouth caused him to smirk.

Harvey closed the distance between them, leaning up the few inches to press his lips against Mike. Mike wasted no time, slipping his tongue into Harvey's mouth as he rested a hand behind Harvey's head, lowering it back down onto the pillow. Harvey pulled Mike with him, pulling Mike half across him in the process. Mike's free arm rested on the other side of Harvey, holding the edge of the bed while the other remained tucked in Harvey's hair.

Harvey began to unbutton Mike's vest, and then moved his fingers to the dress shirt, pulling the buttons apart expertly. When he had the shirt completely unbuttoned, his hands moved under them, with his left curling around Mike's ribs while his right hand moved up behind Mike's neck.

Mike parted from him a moment later, inhaling and exhaling in deep breaths. Harvey stared at him for a few moments, moving his hand back to brush across Mikes cheek as he struggled to breathe deeply himself. There were so many layers and new discoveries to their current position that he knew Mike was trying to process, and even trying to process himself as they laid there with only the movie to fill the silence.

Mike exhaled a long sigh a moment later, and then Harvey realized it was actually a poorly stifled yawn. He looked over at the clock beside the bed, and realized it was going to be midnight soon. Mike moved away from him, settling back over to the side of the bed and yawning once more. The sound of it caused Harvey to yawn himself. He chuckled and reached over to grab the remotes, turning off the movie and then the TV.

"I should go," Mike murmured, though the exhaustion he'd been fighting the past few hours was clearly seeping back into his expression.

Harvey stared at him for a few moments before taking a leap. "Stay."

Mike looked back down at him, blushing slightly at the sight of Harvey's flushed face. "Harvey, I don't want-"

"To fuck things up, I know." Harvey finished for him. "I'm not saying I want to fuck, Mike. I'm saying stay. Sleep. I know you're tired."

"I have nothing to wear," Mike told him.

Harvey grinned, and after a few seconds when Mike's tired brain realized how what he said sounded, he chuckled.

"I didn't mean it that way."

Harvey nodded. "I know. There's sweats in the closet."

Mike raised an eyebrow at Harvey, a smirk playing on his own face now.

"What?" Harvey asked.

"I don't sleep in clothes," Mike announced.

Harvey gave him a look that clearly said something akin to 'do I look that stupid?', causing Mike to blush.

"I don't either, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable." Harvey told him.

Mike chewed his tongue for a moment before deciding he was too damn tired to sit and contemplate what to do any longer. He moved off the bed and pulled his shirt and vest off, letting them fall to the floor. The look on Harvey's face clearly showed his distaste for Mike not showing any care for his clothes, but he spoke no actual words.

When Mike was down to his boxers, he moved the blankets back on the bed and sat back down, causing Harvey to stare at him somewhat curiously.

"What?" Mike asked.

Harvey shook his head. "I didn't think you'd actually just drop your clothes."

"You're asking me to trust you," Mike replied. "There's not any better time to start."

Harvey chuckled but then nodded. He moved off the bed and removed his sweatpants and t-shirt as well before moving back onto the bed, partially to be comfortable and partially just to make Mike as flustered as he felt.

They rested next to each other quietly for a few minutes, both staring around the room. When Mike could no longer stand the silence, he looked over at Harvey, turning onto his side.

"Are you really okay with this?" He asked softly. "Like you're not going to wake up tomorrow and kick me out of your apartment feeling like this was the worst choice you could've made?"

Harvey looked over at him with paragraphs of lectures forming in his mind, for all the things he could say to Mike in the frustrated tone he could feel wrapping around his vocal chords from that question. After the last eighteen hours, he thought he'd made his intentions clear, but he reminded himself of what Mike was at risk of losing, and that lecturing him probably wouldn't achieve anything but more frustration.

"No," Harvey said simply. "I'm not setting out to screw you. I'm scared too."

The softness of his admission should've probably made Mike nervous, but it gave him a comfort instead, knowing Harvey wasn't feeling as if everything was perfect with no risk of either of them getting hurt. There was an odd sense of security knowing that Harvey was scared with him.

Harvey turned to face him, reaching out to touch Mike's face. "Go to sleep. Neither of us will figure this out in one night." He leaned over and kissed Mike's forehead before settling his head back on his own pillow as his hand moved down Mike's body to his arm, and then into his hand, curling his fingers inside Mike's. Mike said nothing in response, and after a few minutes, Harvey heard Mike's breathing slow a bit more, having fallen asleep. Harvey smiled, watching him rest for a few moments even as his own eyes fought to stay open. After about five minutes, he could feel them burning and watering from the exhaustion, and finally let them slip shut. He was asleep in a matter of minutes, lulled down from the sound of Mike's breathing.


End file.
